Self-filling fountain pen



April 10,1934- R. B. KINGMAN ET AL ,940

SELF FILLING FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Jan. 9, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 c 55' Q IJ/ /i 7 26 Z6 y EM INVENZORS ,Dam'eZJMqyer/fiwllfi 1019mm, BY

April 1934- R. B. KlNGMAN EF AL SELF FILLING FOUNTAIN PEN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1954 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 SELF-FILLIN G FOUNTAIN PEN Russell B. Kingman, Orange, and Daniel J. Mayer,

Belleville, N. J Kingman Application January 9,

14 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in fountain pens; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a fountain pen of maximum ink holding capacity having a novel means for filling the same.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction of fountain pen having the interior of its barrel arranged to form the ink-holding reservoir in such manner that the use of a rubber sac or like inl -holding means is not necessary, and consequently the entire internal capacity of the pen barrel may be utilized to hold ink; a novel means being provided for filling the pen barrel as so arranged.

The invention has for a further object to provide, in connection with the removable cap of the pen, a novel means, cooperative with a valve means in the top end of the pen barrel, which may be actuated to effect filling operations to charge the pen with ink preparatory to use of the latter.

The invention has for a further object to pro vide a pen cap having the novel filling means so constructed and arranged that the same does not interfere with the use of the cap with reference to its function as a cover for the pen nib when the pen is not in use. The invention has for a still further object to provide in a fountain pen and cap of the kind above mentioned, means for disposing and holding the cap in inactive position upon the top of the pen barrel but adapted to be adjusted to active position subject to manipulation for pen filling operations.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a fountain pen accordin to this invention, with the cap thereof occupying its position as a cover for the pen nib; and 2 is a similar View showing parts of the cap in section to show the relation of parts when the pen nib and throat of the pen is inserted therein.

Fig. 3is a longitudinal section of the pen, with the cap occupying its attached relation to the top end of the pen barrel; Figs. 4 and 5 are similar sectional views showing operative positions of the cap and the mechanism carried thereby during the manipulations thereof to effect pen filling operations; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the cap as applied to the top end. of the pen barrel in said Mayer assignor to said 1934, Serial No. 705,874

inactive relation thereto; and Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 but showing the cap as related to the pen barrel for pen filling manipulation.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 10 indicates the barrel of the pen, the same being of the usual tubular form, but in this case, the interior 11 thereof forming, perse', a reservoir or chamber to hold a supply of ink. Suitably connected with the lower end of said barrel 10, as by a spud 12 inserted thereinto, is althroat member 13. The throat member 13 is provided with a central bore 14 to receive a pen nib 15 and channeled feed bar 16in the usual manner, the latter communicating with the reservoir or chamber 11 of said pen barrel.

The top end portion of the barrel i0 is tapered to provide a cap seat 17, and is further provided with an internally threaded open end 18. Threaded into said open end 18 is an end plug 19, having at its inner side a neck 20 of reduced diameter arranged to depend therefrom into the upper end of the reservoir 11. Entering the outer end of said plug 19 is a valve port 21 having a marginal valve seat 22 at its outer end. Ex tending through said plug 19 from its inner end are one or more branch ports or passages 23 affording communication between the reservoir or chamber 11 and the main port 21. Below said main port 21, the neck 20 is axially bored to provide a guideway 24 to slidably support the stem 25 of a valve 26 which normally seats upon the valve seat 22 to close said port 21. Extending into the lower end of said neck 20 is an enlargement 27 of said bore or guideway 24 which provides a seat for a coiled compression spring 28. This spring 28 thrusts against a cross-pin 29'connected with the free end of the valve stem 25, thus yieldably engaging the valve 26 upon the valve seat 22 in normal closed relation to the port 21; Externally engaging and movable vertically upon said neck 20 is an annular sealing valve 30 of buoyant material, such e. g. as cork, which will rise upon the level of inkintroduced into the reservoir 11 so as to be borne against the inlet ends of said branch ports 23, thereby closing the latter against the outflow of ink through said ports 23-2l when the reservoir is full. Threaded or otherwise secured upon the lower extremity of the neck 20 is a keeper 31 to prevent displacement of said sealing valve 30 from its operative relation to said neck 20.

The reference character 32 indicates a cylin drical tubular cap member. Adjacent to its lower end, said cap member is provided with an internal shoulder 33, the bore of which is internally threaded as at 34. Below said shoulder 33, the interior walls of the cap member are upwardly and inwardly tapered to provide a seating support 35 adapted to correspond to and cooperate with the tapered cap seat 17 of the pen barrel, to support said cap member in inactive attached relation to the top end of the pen barrel, when the former is removed from enclosing relation to the pen nib 15 and throat member 13 so as to expose the pen nib 15 for use. Above the shoulder 33, the bore of the cap member, especially in cases where the cap member is made of vulcanized rubber, pyroxylin or similar plastics, is preferably provided with a lining sleeve 36 of some not readily corroded material or metal, such e. g. as brass. The top of said cap member is provided with an internally threaded open end 37. Threaded into said open end 37 is an end plug 38, having at its inner side a neck 39, provided at its extremity with a portion 40 of reduced diameter, to form a shoulder or spring seat 41. Entering the outer end of said plug 38 is a valve port 42 having a marginal valve seat 43 at its outer end. Extending through said plug 38 from its inner end are one or more branch ports or passages 44 afiording communication between the interior of said cap member and the valve port 42. Below said valve port 42, the plug 38 and its neck 39 is axially bored to provide a guideway 45 to slidably support the stem 46 of a. valve 47 which normally seats upon the valve seat 43 to close said valve port 42. Extending into the lower end of said neck 39 is an enlargement 48 of said bore or guideway 45 which provides a seat for a coiled compression spring 49. This spring 49 thrusts against a cross-pin 50 connected with the free end of the valve stem 46, thus yieldably engaging the valve 47 upon the valve seat 43 in normal closed relation to the port 42. slidably movable in the cap member interior, between the shoulder 33 and end plug 38, is a piston member 51. This piston member preferably comprises a hollow, upwardly open cup-shaped body, provided in its bottom wall with a central opening 52. The lower or bottom face of said piston member 51 is provided with a resilient perforate facing 53 of any suitable material, such e. g. as rubber, leather or the like. Arranged between the plug 38 and said piston member 51 is a coiled compression spring 54, preferably of the tapered or conical type, with its small upper end engaged upon the spring seat 41 and its larger lower end engaged within the interior of the piston member. This spring 54 tends to yieldingly thrust the piston member 51 downwardly to its normal lowermost position as stopped against the shoulder 33 of the cap member.

For pen filling operations, the cap member 32 must be permitted a telescopic sliding action downwardly over the top end of the pen barrel 10 beyond its normal seated position on the tapered cap seat 17 of the latter. In order to permit of such movement, the pen barrel is formed in its external surface with a plurality of asymmetrically spaced longitudinal guide channels or grooves 55. The internal shoulder 33 of the cap member is routed out to form longitudinal tongues or ribs 56 corresponding in asymmetrical spacing to the spacing of said pen barrel channels or grooves, so that when the cap member, by axial rotation, is adjusted to bring the corresponding tongues or ribs 56 into alignment with the guide channels or grooves 55, then and only then can the cap member be slid downwardly upon the pen barrel beyond its normal seated relation to the cap seat 17 of the latter. The purpose of the asymmetrical arrangement of the guide channels or grooves 55 and tongues or ribs 56 is to assure but a single position in which sliding operation of the cap member can be effected, and so that application of the cap member in supported relation to the cap seat 1'7 will be most likely to occur when applying the cap member to the top of the pen barrel, with a minimum risk of accidentally disposing the same in operative position for sliding movement when such movement is not desired. In order to assist the user to position the cap member relative to the pen barrel ready for manipulation to accomplish pen filling operations, the barrel and cap member surfaces may be inscribed with corresponding external indicating marks 57, which, when brought into registration one with another, will indicate to the user that the cap member is properly disposed for pen filling manipulation.

When use of the pen is not desired, the cap member 32 is removed from the top end of the pen barrel and inserted over the pen nib 15 and its supporting throat member 13, whereupon the threads 34 of the cap member may be screwed onto the external screw threads 58 with which the lower end of the pen barrel 10 is provided. When the cap member is thus engaged upon and screwed to the lower end of the pen barrel, the pen nib 15 will extend through the opening 52 of the piston member 51, and the latter will be engaged by the extremity of the throat member 13, and will thereby be pushed back to permit the cap member to engage the pen barrel, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

To operate the cap member for effecting a pen filling operation, the cap member is turned to register its tongues or ribs 56 in alignment with the channels or grooves 55 of the pen barrel. The cap member is now pushed downwardly on the pen barrel, whereupon the piston member 51 is engaged by the plug 19 and pushed upwardly through the cap member interior against the tension of spring 54. This upward movement of the piston member 51, the valve 26 at the top end of the pen barrel remaining closed, drives the air from the interior of the cap member through the passages 44 and valve port 42, the valve 47 opening under the pressure of the air to permit escape of the latter through said port 42 (see Fig. 4). The throat 13 of the pen is now dipped or inserted into the ink supply so that, at the proper time, ink may flow upwardly through the pen nib 15 and channeled feed bar 16. The cap member is now upwardly retracted, whereupon the piston member 51, which abuts the plug 19 of the pen barrel in sealed relation thereto by means of the facing 53, moves downwardly in the cap member, during which movement the cap valve 4"! is closed, and the pen barrel valve 26 is registered with the opening 52 of said piston member. This downward movement of the piston member creates a vacuum in the interior of the cap member, whereupon the pressure of the air in the reservoir 11 of the pen barrel overbalances and opens the pen barrel valve 26, and consequently the air in the reservoir 11 rushes outwardly through the passages 23 and port 21 and through the opening 52 of the piston member 51 into the interior of the cap member (see Fig. 5). This displacement of air from the interior of the reservoir 11 results in a reduction of pressure therein as compared to atmospheric pressure which is effective upon the supply of ink into which the pen is dipped, and consequently the ink is forced upwardly through the pen nib 15 and channeled feed bar 16 and thus into the reservoir 11, filling the latter. In the event the ink thus delivered into the reservoir 11 rises to the top thereof, it will strike the buoyant sealing valve 30, so as to carry the same upward into contact with the intake ends of the air discharge passages 23, thereby sealing the latter against any leakage or outflow of ink therethrough.

From the above description it will be apparent that entire internal capacity of the pen barrel is usable as an ink storage reservoir, and rubber sacs or other forms of separate ink containers of reduced capacity are eliminated.

The filling operations are easily accomplished, and the cap member is given a functional part in such ink filling operations, without in any way interfering with its ordinary and usually sole function as a closure and guard for the pen nib, when the pen is not in use.

It will be obvious that the pen barrel may be made of transparent or transluscent material, if desired, so that the amount of ink contained therein may be visibly ascertained,

We are aware that many changes could made in the above described constructions, and

many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof; it is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above descrip-- tion or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:---

1. In a fountain pen, a hollow barrel providing an ink storage reservoir, said barrel having a pen nib and feed bar mounted at its lower end in communication with said reservoir, an outwardly opening valve leading from said reservoir at the upper end of the barrel, a cap men ber adapted for detachable engagement with the lower end of said barrel to serve an enclosure for said pen nib, said cap member having at its upper end an outwardly opening valve leading from its interior, and a perforate piston slidable in said cap member and engageable by the upper end of said barrel when said cap is applied to such end of the latter, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with pen barrel valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the upper portion of said barrel.

2. In a fountain pen, a hollow barrel providing an ink storage reservoir, said barrel having a pen nib and feed bar mounted at one end, an outwardly opening spring closed valve at the opposite end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either end of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said can member, and spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means.

3. In a fountain pen, a hollow barrel providing an ink storage reservoir, said barrel having a pen nib and feed bar mounted at one end, an outwardly opening spring closed valve at the opposite end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either end of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed Valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap me ber, spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means, and said barrel and cap member having cooperable alignable means to permit telescopic slidable movement of the latter over the valved end portion of the former.

i. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either end of said barrel, an air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable within said cap member, a compressible spring between the closed end of said cap member and said piston, said piston having a central opening to communicate with said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved over the top end portion of said barrel;

5. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either end of said barrel, an air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable within said cap member, a compressible spring between the closed end of said cap member and said piston, said piston having a central opening to com municave with said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved over the top end portion of said barrel, the top end of said barrel having a seat to support said cap member in inactive position thereon, and said barrel and cap member having coperable alignable means to permit active movement of the latter upon the former.

6. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either the pen end or top end of'said barrel, an outwardly opening spring close air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston memher having an axial opening, stop means to limit no movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap member, spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with the discharge side of said barrel. air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the top end por tion of said barrel, and a buoyant sealing valve within said barrel movable to close the intake side of said barrel air vent valve.

7. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an outwardly openi-ng spring closed air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap adapted for detachable engagement with either the pen end or top of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the closed end'of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston memher having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap member, spring means to urge said piston toward said step means, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with the discharge side of said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the top end portion of said barrel, and a buoyant sealing valve Within Said barrel movable to close the intake side of said barrel air vent valve, and said barrel and cap member having cooperable alignable means to permit telescopic slidable movement of the latter over the top end portion of the former.

8. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detacha ble engagement with either the pen end or top end of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston member having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap member, spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with the discharge side of said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the top end portion of said barrel, and a buoyant sealing valve within said barrel movable to close the intake side of said barrel air vent valve, the top end of said barrel having a seat to support said cap member in inactive position thereon, and said barrel and cap member having cooperable alignable means to permit active movement of the latter upon the former.

9. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either the pen end or top end of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston member having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap member, spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with the discharge side of said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the top end portion of said barrel, and a buoyant sealing valve within said barrel movable to close the intake side of said barrel air vent valve, and said barrel and cap member having asymmetrically spaced cooperable groove and tongue elements alignable to permit telescopic slidable movement of the cap member over the top end portion of the barrel.

10. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member adapted for detachable engagement with either the pen end or top end of said barrel, an outwardly opening spring closed air vent valve at the closed end of said cap member, a piston slidable between the closed and open ends of said cap member, said piston member having an axial opening, stop means to limit the movement of said piston toward the open end of said cap member, spring means to urge said piston toward said stop means, the opening of said piston being adapted to register with the discharge side of said barrel air vent valve when said cap member is slidably moved on the top end portion of said barrel, and a buoyant sealing valve within said barrel movable to close the intake side of said barrel air vent valve, the top end of said barrel having a seat to support the said cap member in inactive position thereon, and said barrel and cap member having asymmetrically spaced cooperable groove and tongue elementsalignable to permit telescopic slidable movement of the cap member over the top end portion of the barrel.

11. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end portion of said barrel, a cap mem ber having at its closed end an air vent valve, said cap member being adapted for telescopic sliding movement over the top end portion of said barrel, 2. piston movable in said cap member, said piston having a central opening to register with said barrel air vent valve, and spring means for holding said piston during operation in engage-.- ment with the valved end of said barrel.

12. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end portion of said barrel, a cap member having at its closed end an air vent valve, said cap member being adapted for telescopic sliding movement over the top end portion of said barrel, a piston movable in said cap member, said piston having a central opening to register with said barrel air vent valve, and spring means for holding said piston during operation in engagement with the valved end of said barrel, said piston having a resilient bottom facing to eifect hermetically sealed engagement with said barrel end.

13. In a fountain pen the barrel of which provides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member having at its closed end an air vent valve, said cap member being adapted for sliding movement over the top end portion of said barrel whereby downward movement of said cap member on the barrel expels air therefrom through its air vent valves and succeeding upward movement causes air to discharge from the barrel reservoir through the barrel air vent valve into said cap member with consequent intake of ink through the pen end of the barrel while such end is inserted in an ink supply.

14. In a fountain pen the barrel of which pro vides an ink storage reservoir, an air vent valve at the top end of said barrel, a cap member having at its closed end an air vent valve, said cap member being adapted for sliding movement over the top end portion of said barrel whereby downward movement of said cap member on the barrel expels air therefrom through its air vent valve and succeeding upward movement causes air to discharge from the barrel reservoir through the barrel air vent valve into said cap member with consequent intake of ink through the pen end of the barrel while such end is inserted in an ink supply, and a buoyant sealing valve actuable by entering ink to close the intake end of said barrel air vent valve.

RUSSELL B. KINGMAN. DANIEL J. MAYER. 

